Christmas Angel
by Gooniegirl3333
Summary: When Natalia loses a prized possession, 'tis the season for a Christmas Angel. Cute and sweet, nothing more. Enjoy!


I couldn't help myself! A gift to all the #WolfePack members. Even if you don't like RaiN, you'll still enjoy it, =).

**Disclaimer:** I don't own CSI:Miami...blah, blah, blah, =).

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**Christmas Angel**

Metal clinked together, lockers continuously slamming shut. The soundtrack to another end of the day. Natalia Boa Vista reached deeply through her locker before pulling out a gold and silver necklace, a beautiful shimmer that dangled like a pendulum. The sparkle caught the eye of one of the CSIs in the room.

"Hey, Natalia," spoke the blonde southern, her accent heavy due to her tiredness. "What's that?"

"Oh," Natalia exclaimed, startled that someone else was still in the room. She looked up to see Calleigh perched against her locker. The two male CSIs entered into the room, crossing behind Calleigh. "Uh, this...is my Grandmother's." Carefully, Natalia clasped the gold chain that carried the silver cross around her neck.

"I've never seen you wear it before," Eric mentioned, closing his locker before sitting down on the bench.

"Yeah, well...she died earlier this year-"

"Oh, Nat. I'm sorry," Calleigh interrupted apologetically, pressing her hand to her heart.

"Thanks," she stated quickly, "anyway, Christmas was always her favorite holiday, so I thought I would wear it for her this year. You know, keep the tradition alive."

"That's a great idea," Calleigh reaffirmed, reaching to pat Natalia's shoulder. "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow," she stated before grabbing her purse to head out. Pausing at the threshold, she stopped and swiftly turned her head around. "Eric? You coming?"

"Uh, yeah," he quietly said, grabbing for the wallet next to him and shoving it in his back pocket. "Have a good night, guys."

"Oh!" shouted Calleigh, "and don't forget buy your Secret Santa/Pal gifts for next Friday's party!"

Ryan, who remained silent for the most part, his eyes focused on the inside of his locker, finally broke the tranquil air that surrounded them. "I think it looks great on you, Nat." He discreetly gazed his eyes towards her.

"Oh, thanks," she briefly stated, peering up momentarily from her fixation on the pendant. "My Nana and I were really close."

"I wouldn't doubt that," Ryan said, moving to sit down on the bench next to her.

"Yeah, we used to do everything together: gardening, arts and crafts." Natalia smiled as she sat down next to Ryan, reminiscing happily. "Even when I graduated and went off to college, we would exchange letters all the time."

"Sounds like she meant a lot to you."

"She did...does," Natalia sighed before sternly placing her hands down. "Well, it's getting late. I better get home." With that, she stood to grab the rest of her personal items.

"Yeah," Ryan agreed, scurrying over to his locker. Seizing his wallet and keys, Ryan quickly made for the exit. "See you tomorrow, 'Talia!" he shouted practically sprinting out the door.

"You, too, Ry'," she mentioned quietly.

**2 days later**

The clicking of Calleigh's heels increased in sound as they made their hasty approach towards DNA.

"Hey, Natalia," she announced walking in. "Horatio is wanting the results of the Jones-Kelley case later today."

"Uh, sure thing," Natalia affirmed, her focus concentrated on the data in front of her. "Let me just see if Valera tested the samples yet." A short beep from the printer sounded as a piece of paper appeared. Natalia shortly chuckled at the results. "The DNA from the bed is definitely not the wife's."

"Of course it isn't," Calleigh chuckled along. Soon, her eyes did a double take at Natalia's neck. "Not wearing your Grandmother's necklace today?"

"What do you mean? Of course I'm-." Her sentence was cut short when she reached her hand to her neck but found nothing. "Oh, my God," Natalia cried, tears dwelling up. Ducking under the glass lab table, Natalia's eyes began searching meticulously, desperate to find the intimate item. Calleigh followed not far behind, aiding in her search. "I don't see it, do you?"

"No," Calleigh timidly stated, her eyes sad as she shook her head. She watched as the brunette CSI dashed out of the lab room, heading straight for her locker. She listened as a metal door slammed open into the adjacent locker, followed by items shuffling anxiously.

Natalia fell back onto the bench behind her, a sigh of agony escaping through her breath.

"It's gone," Natalia wept. "I lost my Nana's prized possession." Collapsing her head in her hands, Natalia attempted to hide her tears.

"Sweety," comforted Calleigh as she rubbed Natalia's back. "I'm sure it's around her somewhere. Maybe you lost it out on the field?"

"No," Natalia shot up her head, "I never wear it out in the field for fear of something like this!" Noticing her curt voice, Natalia's eyes instantly became gentle. "I'm sorry, Calleigh," she said, turning her head to face the CSI. "I didn't mean to snap at you."

"Don't you worry about that," Calleigh reassured her. "We'll just let maintenance know to be on the look out, okay?" Natalia nodded her head somberly as the two went back to work.

**Later that week**

Days had past, and yet nothing had turned up. Natalia silently thought maybe maintenance wasn't looking hard enough, but she didn't want to seem like a Grinch. Keeping her emotions to herself, Natalia's eyes smiled a bit brighter at the friendly face entering her lab.

"Hey, Nat," Ryan said happily. "Got your gift for tomorrow's Christma-Hanna-Kwanza Holiday Party?" Ryan chuckled realizing he finally got the hang of saying it in one breath.

"Oh, Calleigh," Natalia rolled her eyes playfully, chuckling as well. "Are you sure she got every religion in there?"

"Pretty sure there's a couple missing," Ryan laughed. "But it'd take the rest of the year just to learn how to say it." A comfortable silence fell between them before Natalia broke the air.

"Anyway," she began, looking down at her paperwork, "I think my person is going to love his present...well, either that or it's great entertainment for the rest of us."

"Oh, really?" Ryan raised an intrigued eyebrow. "Who'd you get?"

Shifting her eyes to make sure no one else was around, both CSIs leaned towards each other, Natalia whispering, "Tripp." Giving a cheeky grin, she asked, "and you?"

"Calleigh," Ryan smirked devilishly. Soon, his smile faded away as he looked near her collar bone. "Still no sign of the necklace?" Natalia's smile faded away as well as both pulled away from each other.

"No," she stated melancholy-like. "I even checked my house. Beginning to give up on it."

"Never give up, Natalia," Ryan attested, crossing his arms confidently. "'Tis the season, you know." He gave a sigh a relief when a glimmer of a smile reappeared on Natalia's face. Well," he began, taking steps out of the room, "I better go. Cases to solve."

**Late/Early Morning**

"Okay, so after helping out Dave with the camera footage, Natalia was in DNA for most of the day," Ryan said to himself, holding a flashlight for extra searching support. It was late in the night, most of the night shift either at "lunch" or out in the field. He never realized how dead the lab seemed when the sun was down. Luckily, the workers didn't pay much attention to a day shift CSI being there so late/early. The receptionist agreed to keep his little venture a secret, the payoff being her favorite candy for a month.

Searching around, Ryan looked under the table, trying to remember what happened that day.

"A shipment came in," he stated, looking around for a box, "of Q-tips. So 'Talia would be reaching down over here," he started walking towards a corner of the room, "and carrying the supplies over to there." Flashing the light in the area where Natalia would temporarily store the Q-tips, Ryan followed the trail from one point to the other.

A shine slightly blinded Ryan for a moment, the source coming a small, barely open plastic pantry near the second point. Opening it, he found paperbacks on forensics and fingerprinting, the name "Travers" printed on the covers.

"His mother buying him books again," Ryan lightly laughed to himself. Travers' mother never completely understood his work at the lab, so she would by him books upon books on anything related to the field, among other things. Once, he was given an Anatomy and Physiology college textbook for his birthday. Though, that was in part to her continuous wishful thinking of him becoming a doctor.

Curious as to what caused the glint, Ryan began rummaging through the books, pulling out each paperback before hitting the near-bottom. There, huddled sheepishly between "Dating for Dummies" and "How to be a Successful Husband" was Natalia's Grandmother's necklace.

"Gotcha!" he whispered, snaking the chain and cross up into the light. It was beautiful as it dangled, though the clasp seemed to be broken.

"Whatcha doing?" bellowed a male voice from behind. Ryan stood up quickly, banging his head on the ceiling of the pantry during his ascension.

"Ow!" he cried, looking up at the voice and rubbing his head. "Delko! Uh, what time is it?" Carefully, Ryan shoved the necklace in his jean pocket, hoping Eric didn't see it.

"7am," Eric answered, looking down at his watch. "How long have you been here?" he questioned, raising his eyebrows curiously.

"Oh, uh...," he paused thinking back what time he started his quest. It had to have been some time between 3 and 4am, but he couldn't really remember. "Um, I got here a couple minutes ago," he lied quickly. "I actually forgot something for today's party, so let Calleigh and 'H know I'll be back soon."

"Okay," Eric stated slowly, waving a hand to Ryan as he rushed out of the room.

**Christma-Hanna-Kwanza Holiday (etc.) Party**

The party seemed to be a hit, everyone laughing and enjoy the virgin eggnog brought in by Horatio. Calleigh and Eric were sitting around the break room table leaving Ryan and Natalia to share the couch. Horatio conveniently positioned himself near the door giving him the ability to see the entire party in one view. The rest of the day shift had been muddling in and out, the lab technicians all admiring their Secret Santa gifts.

One last Secret Santa/Pal present was left to be opened. Tripp, who was leaning against the sink with his legs crossed, raised an eyebrow at his gift.

"Is this some sort of a joke?" he stated suspiciously, holding up the Chia pet. "Because it ain't funny." Giggling ensued, which eventually turned into a thunderous laugh and applause.

"Oh, come on! Tripp," Natalia shouted above the laughter, "It's a pet you don't have to feed!"

"And it has that hair you always wished for," Ryan mumbled, unable to contain his jokes.

"Well, I think it's awesome," Calleigh mentioned, "like all of our presents. Thank you Secret Santa!" she shouted, the same or near close expression being shouted in succession.

"Hey, wait a minute," Eric interrupted, pointing towards an object under the tree. "There's one last present left." Calleigh, letting out a small gasp, reached for the small ribbon-wrapped box. Reading the tag, she scrunched he eyebrows peculiarly.

"It's for Natalia," she stated surprisingly, handing the item to the brunette.

Natalia undid the bow and slowly opened the box, her eyes overflowing with happiness.

"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed, lifting up the necklace. "It's my Nana's!" She stopped, her mind jumbled with expressions but not able to compose them into words. Her hand rubbed under the box, realizing a note was attached to it.

"Dear Natalia," she began once her shaking hands finally opened the letter:

_Thought you could use a Christmas Miracle. Fixed the clasp so it will remain around your neck for a lifetime. _

_Love Always, Your Christmas Angel. _

_P.S. Let Travers do his own lugging of his mother's unwanted books next time._

"The pantry!" she declared, shaking her head. "The one place I didn't look." Natalia pressed the necklace against her chest, closing her eyes blissfully. Wiping a single tear away and darting her eyes around the room, she suspiciously searched for the culprit. "Who did this?"

Everyone shook their heads innocently, Ryan included.

"Sorry, 'Talia," Ryan contended, throwing his hands up righteously, "but I don't think any of us are that cunning or stealthy."

"Okay," she stated, her eyes watchful on her suspects, "but I will find out."

**Mere Hours Laters**

"It was you! Wasn't it?" Eric exclaimed again from behind Ryan. Everyone had gone back to work, Ryan offering to clean up the mess.

"Eric, if you're going to be here, you could at least pick up a trash bag," Ryan replied rolling his eyes.

"Just admit it!" he continued, ignoring Ryan's last comment. "You were here all night searching for the necklace!"

"Eric, for the last time, it wasn't me!" Ryan kept his eyes on the mess knowing very well Eric would be able to spot his lies through his facial expressions.

"First, I catch you googling Natalia's dance moves, and now this?" Eric chuckled devilishly under his breath. "Man, you got it bad!"

"I do not," Ryan sternly stated, stiffening his posture as he turned to meet Eric's focus. "Now would you just drop it?"

"Sure, Wolfe," Eric said doubtfully, "whatever you say." Eric paused momentarily, watching Ryan bury his thoughts into the cleaning. "For what's worth," he began, Ryan rolling his eyes in irritation, "she really loved it."

"You think?" Ryan asked, he face becoming gentle and timid.

"Oh, yeah," Eric replied kindly. "The way her eyes lightened up, you can bet she'll be thanking her Christmas Angel for a long time."

Both CSIs parted ways amiably, Ryan continuing his cleaning with a smile.

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**Merry Christmas, my lovelies, =)**


End file.
